I'm In Genshin & Stalking the MC But The Side Characters Are Strange!!

Chapter 15

Jingyi sat in the waiting room of her relatives' beautiful oriental mansion. Her heart was pounding heavily the entire trip here and didn't stop as of yet. 'Be still my beating heart, please,' she told herself over and over. She tried to sooth her nerves with the sweets and tea that was placed on the short table in front of her. There was a knock at the door that made Jingyi jolt and stand up, followed by the door opening and Donghai pushing an older gentleman in a wheelchair in. They were followed by an older lady as well.

"Um, hello uncle and auntie."

"Please, you can sit back down Jingyi," said the older woman, Jingyi's aunt, Jinmei.

"Ah, thank you."

Jingyi sat back down on the couch while Donghai and Jinmei sat on the opposite couch after they adjusted Jingyi's uncle, Pengfei, position. Jingyi looked at the trio in front of her. Jingyi felt like the tension in the air could be cut with a knife. She had a habit of talking first when situations got like this.

"Un-."

"Jingyi, you grew up well it looks like," Jinmei says.

"Ah, yes thank you auntie."

"How are you these days, still pursuing that adventurer lifestyle?"

"Yep, I mean, I am one and have been one for quite a while now."

"Really? What finds you in Liyue?"

"Oh! Well not too long ago I got an offer to come here to help with a commission in regards to a camp they found near the city."

Jingyi went on to talk about the journey she walked from Mondstat to Liyue, the sights she saw, the new people she met, the commission outcome and the celebration all to the best of her abilities. It was when Jingyi was coming to the close of her ramblings did she realize she talked for a while.

"I'm sorry..." Jingyi started.

"What are you sorry for?" This time it was her uncle Pengfei's turn to speak, "do you have any regrets?"

Jingyi's eyes widened, "regrets? I wake up each day with the freedom to do what my heart yearns for. The only regret I want to feel is the regret of learning from a poor decision rather than the regret of never having experienced it. That is the human experience."

The room quieted again.

"You haven't changed one bit Jingyi," Pengfei said.

Jingyi braced herself but was only met with the image of her uncle to the best of his abilities bowing to her in his wheelchair. Jingyi was startled and got up to tell him to be careful but was stopped by the hand of her aunt, who then also started to bow where she was seated. Jingyi was stunned. The two got up and looked at Jingyi again.

Pengfei spoke first, "the day I felt my chest tighten to the point where it was hard to breath I thought it was over. My life flashed before my eyes and the only thing that stuck out to me was the images of you father and I when we were young."

Jingyi stumbled a little before sitting back down on the couch.

"My regret was letting my pride get to me that day. Your father was always a dreamer I'm sure you know, so when I found out that he who was younger than me but more skilled in the trade than me was going to give it all up to be with your mom...well I've said somethings that was backed with my inferiority complex and it's no one's fault but my own."

"I've said things I regret as well," Jinmei added, "I deeply apologize."

"For the longest time after your father eloped with your mom I thought at some point he'd come crawling back to the family since I thought that life without wealth would be too difficult for him," Pengfei looked meaningfully at Jingyi, "I was proven wrong all these years."

Jingyi swallowed a dry lump in her throat.

"The year after the accident and I was bedridden I was left with nothing but my thoughts, I asked myself, is there anything I regret? Of course, you know the answer. For the past year I've been trying to get in touch with your parents again but they never responded to any letter. I can not blame them. I'm not asking for you to relay the message but I am asking for your forgiveness as well. That night we last saw you really showed that at that age you already held the same air as your parents. Even now while talking to you, I am reminded of your father."

The room went silent, this time for way longer. The trio looked at the girl on the couch who changed her expressions constantly without her realizing, processing everything that was said.

"Mom, dad, Jingyi probably has a lot to think about. If it's okay, why don't you two retire for the night while I have my word with them?"

Jingyi watched her aunt pushing her uncle out of the room. After they left she was alone with Donghai.

"You must be tired, do you want to stay the night? I can prepare a room and dinner for you."

Jingyi looked at her cousin, "that sounds good."

"Of course, I'll have a maid come in a little bit to guide you there," he says before leaving himself.

Jingyi deflated on the couch, thoughts swimming in her head until the maid came to take her to her room for the night.